Eastman Kodak's patent claim against Apple and Research In Motion concerning camera-phone image previews is invalid, according to an initial determination by a U.S. International Trade Commission administrative law judge.

"The ALJ's recommendation in this case represents a preliminary step in a process that we are extremely confident will conclude in Kodak's favor," the company said in its press release. Kodak pointed out that another judge had upheld the patent claim in a separate suit against Samsung and LG Electronics. After that preliminary ruling, Kodak and Samsung agreed last January to a cross-licensing deal. Kodak also lists LG as a licensee of its imaging patents.

Kodak also said the ITC's Office of Unfair Import Investigations had agreed with its interpretation of the patent.

In a statement, RIM said, "RIM has shown that the only asserted claim of the Kodak patent is invalid." Apple officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

When it sued Apple and RIM last year, Kodak said it had been in discussions with both companies for years about the patent dispute.